


want to want

by yallbitter



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Ambassador Sokka (Avatar), Firelord Zuko (Avatar), Fireworks, First Kiss, Fluff, Insecure Zuko (Avatar), M/M, Mentions conversion therapy, Mentions of homophobia, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, based off Mulan 2, im just a slut for first kisses, no forgiveness for azula, not in my lobby im sorry i know shes a victim as well but here i still dont like her, sokka wears makeup, zuko has been mad fucked up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:54:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25876249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yallbitter/pseuds/yallbitter
Summary: Whoowee it's been a while lmaoAnyway, I'm back, with something written for a thing I'm sure you've seen, of a scene in Mulan 2 where the princess hates her laugh?Yea it's that but Zukka.It's pretty cute, ngl, so I hope you all enjoy it!
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 24
Kudos: 248





	want to want

Sokka loved making people laugh. It filled him with pride hearing laughter of all kinds, and it was kinda his thing.

He was the funny guy, the guy with the jokes, the guy who could lighten the mood of the dourest advisor on his way to complain about some policy Zuko had overturned. He still considered his greatest achievement to be when he’d got Mai laughing so hard, she cried. Katara had told him that the size of his head doubled overnight on that memorable occasion.

And yet, despite everything, there was one person who he just couldn’t get anything from, not even a chuckle.

Zuko.

And if you can’t get the guy you’ve been crushing on since you were 16 to laugh, can you really call yourself funny? Sokka didn’t think so, and so he had made it his mission to make Zuko laugh (and also maybe fall in love with him, please and thank you).

He even had a game plan, and it was all happening tonight at the firework festival in Caldera.

“Hey, hot stuff!” Sokka entered the room like a whirlwind, the way he always did, with teasing smirks and casual flirting, full of jokes and joy and all the things Zuko thought he’d never get to have _(you don’t deserve them_ ).

“How many times have I asked you not to call me that?” He spoke disapprovingly, but there was no real heat to his voice. He was far too busy trying to supress the _(ugly, scary, weakweakweakWEAK)_ laughter that bubbled up in his throat at Sokka’s exaggerated pout to be genuinely concerned.

“Anyway, WE are going to the firework festival, and NOT as Firelord and Ambassador. We’re going as Sokka and Zuko, Zuko and Sokka, best buds on a firework adventure!”

Sokka strikes a frankly ridiculous pose, all dramatic flexing of biceps and lunges that make his incredible _(you aren’t allowed to think about him like that)_ thighs stand out. Zuko raises his eyebrow.

“Do I have a choice?”

He assumes correctly. Sokka shakes his head enthusiastically, and Zuko is internally thrilled at the idea of spending time with Sokka without the constant weight of his duties hanging over his head.

He could barely wait.

They walked through the festival together, holding hands to avoid being swept apart in the sea of people in masks and assorted costumes that swirled through the streets of Caldera in an intricate, unspoken dance.

Sokka was determined in his mission to get Zuko laughing, and he pulled out some of his best material.

“Hey, hotman, watch this!”

_(he means it as a friend)_

“…and I said ‘Feeder? I barely know ‘er!’ He didn’t think it was that funny, but he agreed to the trade anyway so-“

_(he doesn’t want you nobody wants you, you are broken Zuko there’s a doctor, he can help you be normal Zuko this isn’t right, this isn’t normal you can’t have this YOU CAN’T HAVE THIS)_

“Do you dare me to eat this whole bowl of fire flakes in one go?”

The comfortable way Sokka moves around, the ease with which he flirts and jokes and laughs, in all the ways Zuko was never allowed to, but maybe now, with his father gone he can have what he wanted.

_(YOU CAN’T HAVE THIS)_

“…No.” Zuko could see this going extremely badly. Sokka had developed a far greater tolerance for spice in recent years, but a whole bowl of those would probably have him sweating all over. In typical Sokka fashion, however, he’d already poured the bowl into his mouth.

Sokka stood still, eyes wide for a couple of seconds, until the spice kicked in and his mouth started to burn.

“AAAAAGGHGAGAAAAAAA! HOLY FUCK! HOLY SHIT! TUI AND LA WATER, PLEASE OH SPIRITS SHIT FUCK BALLS SHIT FUCK!”

Sokka ran around in a panic, sweating and fanning his mouth. He’d spat the fire flakes onto the floor and was going in circles.

Still holding the candle he’d bought not five minutes ago to light a lantern.

He spun towards a firework stand, and in some chance, one-in-a-million event, the flames catches on one of the fireworks, which spread to another and another and another and suddenly Sokka’s on the ground, sparks flying around him, mask askew, the kohl around his eyes smeared, whacking at his now-ruined shirt, frantically putting out small flames all over.

It was too much. Zuko lost control, and suddenly, for the first time in forever, he laughed, really laughed. It was loud, obnoxious, and interspersed with snorts and honks and inhales, and it was the most beautiful thing Sokka had ever heard in his life.

Putting a hand over his mouth, Zuko tried to stop the laughing, and then he found himself face to face with Sokka. He had charcoal on his face, and his hair had come out, falling around his shoulders like a curtain. Zuko didn’t think he’d ever seen Sokka smile so wide, and his mirth stopped when he realised why he was so happy.

“I- I’m sorry. I know it sounds awful, Ozai and Azula always told me so and –“

He was cut off when Sokka’s lips found his own, and for the second time sparks flew. They popped behind Zuko’s eyes, drowning out the sound of his fathers voice in his mind.

_(You can’t have this you don’t deserve this you can’t)_

Those same words have been on a loop in his head for as long as he can remember, hurting him, keeping him quiet, convincing him that he could never be loved, not entirely, and yet here was someone who, even having seen the worst parts of himself, someone who’s watched him at his lowest, seen every scar, every hurt, every insecurity, seemed to want him.

It was against everything he’d ever been taught, and it was perfect. His eyes opened when Sokka pulled away. He looked so happy, and the idea that someone could looks so happy after kissing Zuko was so foreign to him that he just stared dumbly.

“I love your laugh, Zuko. It sounds so real, so alive! I could listen to it for days.”

If Zuko could get redder, he would. He knew what he wanted to say, it was right there, but one kiss doesn’t mean-

“And I love you. I love everything about you.”

Zuko’s eyes widen even further, and he pulls Sokka in for second kiss, because he’s tired of pretending that he doesn’t want things. Zuko wants to WANT, spirits be damned, he wants to want, not just accept, not just hope, not just pray that someday something comes his way that he can maybe get if he’s lucky.

So he pulls Sokka in and kisses him under the fireworks and finally, finally, gives himself permission to love.

**Author's Note:**

> If you read this, drop a comment with ideas for my next fic! I'm terrible at thinking of these things, and If you suggest something I promise I'll do my best to write it and gift it specifically to you! Go crazy!


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